Die for forming sheet-metal pulley-rims.



Patented Oct. 3, I899. E. G. BUDD. DIE FOR FORMING SHEET METAL PULLEY RIMS.

(Application filed Jan."27, 1899.)

(No Model.)

Nr'rnn PATENT EDIVARD G. BUDD, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN PULLEY COMPANY, OF PENNSYLVANIA.

DIEFOR FORMING SHEET-METAL PULLEY-RIMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 634,284, dated October 3, 1899.

Application filed January 27, 1899. Serial No. 703,532. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD G. BUDD, of the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvementin Dies for Forming Sheet-Metal Pulley- Rims, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to dies for forming sheet-metal pulley-rims; and it consists of certain improvements which are fully set forth in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

The object of my invention is to provide suitable dies which shall be capable of forming sheet metal into predetermined. semicircular shapes especially adapted for the rims of sheet-metal pulleys of the character set out in Letters Patent No. 595,559, dated December 14, 1897.

In carrying out my invention I employ three sets of dies-namely, an upper and a lower set, with an intermediate set adapted to operate in connection with the other two, and preferably the intermediate set is stationary. This, however, is not necessary so long as the several movements are imparted to the different sets to bring them together or move them apart. Furthermore, by proper adj ustment and arrangement of the mechanism two of these dies may be relatively fixed, while the third die is made movable, or vice versa, so that when desired the upsetting or forming operation may be confined to one side of the metal being acted upon. Furthermore, in conj unction with the intermediate or stationary die I employ outside dies, two or more in number, adapted, preferably, to move in horizontal directions on radial lines from the central die, the outer dies being adapted to hold or grip the metal and retain it in the proper shape or conformation while the upsetting, beading, or fianging action takes place by the operation of the upper and lower dies, or either of them. More specifically, the

outer dies may act to crown as well as upset the ends of the blank under same conditions.

My improvements comprehend the forming of these dies in shape such that the clampin g-surfaces in transverse section or plan constitute substantially two arcs of circles each position.

greater than a semicircle or two similar curves, the object of which is to cause the sheet metal forming a semicircular part of the rim to be bent to a curvature corresponding to a slightly less diameter than that to which the finished wheel is required to conform. This feature is found of great value in practice, owing to the fact that there is a tendency of the sheetmetal-rim sections when removed from the dies to somewhat expand or increase their diameter of curvature.

My invention therefore includes the making of the dies specified above so that the portions of each side of a diameter shall be curved from diiferent centers. My invention also comprehends details of construction which will be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a set of dies embodying my invention with the upper die removed. Fig. 2 is a oross-section of same on line w as of Fig. 1 and with the upper die in Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line 3 y of the dies when first shaping the rim. Fig. iillustrates the dies When adjusted to complete the rim, and Fig. 5 is a cross-section showing a rim of a pulley to be formed by my improved dies.

2 is a central and substantially cylindrical fixed die and, as shown, is made circular, approximately corresponding to the diameter of the pulley. Arranged about this die are four segmental dies 5, adapted to be moved horizontally, so as to meet the periphery of the die 2 and strongly grasp any metal placed between the said dies 2 and 5. In addition to these dies there is a lower die which in some instances is fixed and in other instances is movable. When said dies are fixed, they are indicated, as at 4, in Figs. 2 and 3. IVhen they are movable, they areas shown at 9 in Fig. 4. 8 is an upper die and is vertically movable to or from the fixed die 2. These several movable dies are adapted to be moved under the action of suitable hydraulic press mechanism. (Not shown.)

The die 2 is provided with an upper annular shoulder 30, over which the upper edge 18 of the metal rim 17 is adapted to be bent. The lower outer edge of the die 2 is provided with an annular recess 31. In the prelimi IOO nary operation of forming the sheet-metal blank the lower part of the die 2 is fitted with an annular die portion 1, having an outer surface formed as a continuation of the face of the die 2 and having, further, its lower edge rounded to start the bead on the blank. The outer clainpingdies 5 are each also fitted at the bottom with a section of the annular die 7, of which there are four sections, one to each of the dies 5. These die-sections 7 have curved grooved portions 12, which force the lower edge of the blank into a more rounded shape around the lower edge of the die i. The movement of the die 5 also imparts movement to the die 7, since it is carried with it.

In the preliminaryoperation of these several dies the upper die is formed with a beveled inner face 33, which crowds down the upper flange 18 of the blank into a position approximating an obliquity of about seventy degrees to the upright portion 17 of the blank. This upper die is shown at (3 in Fig. 8. After the sheet-metal blank has been partly shaped the die-sections 7 and 4: are removed and the die indicated at 9, Fig. a, substituted therefor, but not connected to die 2 or 5. Also the upper die 6, Fig. 3, is removed, and the die 8 is substituted forit, omitting the inner beveled edge 33. The same result would be obtained by simply inverting the die 6. The die 9 may be provided with a series of annular grooves 10, corresponding to different diameters of wheel-rims, and the upward movement of this die 9 is to curl over the partlybent edge 19 into a tubular edge or bead. Simultaneously with this formation of the tubular edge or bead the upper flange of the blank, which was previously bent into a position approximating seventy degrees, is bent downward until it stands at substantially right angles to the main surface 17 of the rim.

Referring more specifically to die 2, it will be seen that its outer surface 15 is composed of two semicircles formed from different centers, so that the complete outline in plan of the die approximates an ellipse, in which the major axis is slightly greater than the minor axis, the junctures of the two curved parts being preferably provided with outwardly-extending steel plates 13, secured to the die 2.in any suitable manner, preferably by being inserted in vertical grooves or slots and secured therein by screws or pins. The outer dies 5 have their inner curvature corresponding to the outer curvature 15 of the die 2, and, as shown in Fig. 1, the two oppositely-arranged dies 5, which are in line with the steel plates 13, are recessed, as at 14:, to permit the said plates to be received therein, so that when the ends of the blank are pressed inward by the action of these dies 5 they shall be forced upon the steel plates to give a finish to the said edges and at the same time to accurately shape them. This feature is important in'view of the fact that the rim of the pulley is of slightly less diameter at its edge than at the middle, and consequently the middle ends of the semicircular rim-sections are required to be so shaped that when the two semicircular rim portions are abutted end to end to make the circle the said edges shall meet and maintain the proper outer conformation of said rim. To better insure these results in the upsetting of the edge of the rimblanks, the plates 13 are preferably formed slightly wedge-shaped for convenience in construction and in the operation of the dies in upsetting the ends of the blank.

iVhere the pulley-rim is to be crowned, as indicated in Fig. 5, the adjacent faces of the dies 2 and 5 have their curvature at the top slightly greater than their curvature at the bottom, so that the vertical sectional line between them will be somewhat inclined, as indicated in Figs. 3 and t. \Vhere no crowning is required, the curvature of the dies will be the same at the top and bottom.

The several dies 4, 6, and 7 are also curved on their working edges to correspond to the elliptical shape of the die 2, since they operate in conjunction therewith. It is of course evident that in the case of die 9 the grooves 10 are the only portions which require to be made to correspond to the curvature 15 of the die 2, since these grooves are the only portions thereof which act upon the blank.

My invention does not broadly relate to the structure of the dies 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 0, but relates to the elliptical or double-curved construction thereof. Itis to be understood that while I speak of my improvements as embodying the elliptical construction it is evident that if only a semicircular rim-blank is to be treated then in that case one-half of these dies alone need be considered-that is to say, the die structures upon either side of the line a: :1; of Fig. 1-and in thislattercase my improvements will be confined to the employment of the plates or abutments 13, combined with the several die structures shown. Vhile the dies are considered as arranged horizontally and movable in vertical and horizontal planes and certain of the dies considered as upper and others as lower dies, it is to be understood that these terms are onlyemployed for convenience, as the entire die structures may be set at an angle relatively to a horizontal plane, and yet operate in substantially the same manner, and hence no limitation is to be assumed in the relative construction of the several portions making up the die structures from the employment of such terms either in the specification or claims.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In dies forforming sheet-metal pulleyrims, a stationary die of substantially elliptical shape in plan, in combination with a series of radially-movable sectional dies arranged about the stationary elliptical die having working faces curved to correspond to the outer curved edge of the stationary die and movable to or from it, and a vertically-movable upper die having an inner bending edge made to conform to the elliptical shape of the stationary die.

2. In dies for forming sheet-metal pulleyrims, a stationary die of substantially elliptical shape in plan, in combination with a series of radially-movable sectional dies arranged about the stationary elliptical die having working faces curved to correspond to the outer curved edge of the stationary die and movable to or from it, a vertically-movable upper die having a bending-surface adapted to lie over the elliptical outer edge of the stationary die, and a vertically-movable lower die having one or more ellipticallyarranged grooves 10 in its upper surface and arranged below the stationary die.

3. In dies for forming sheet-metal pulleyrims, the combination of a stationary die having its outer surface made curved approximating an ellipse and having the curvature of each half formed from different centers, with four external radially-movable dies having curved surfaces corresponding to the outer curved surface of the stationary die and in which two of said radially-movable dies each have their curved surface formed from a single center and the other two each have their curved surfaces formed by radii from different centers.

4. In dies for forming sheet metal, the combination of a stationary die having its outer surface made curved approximating an ellipse and having the curvature of each half formed from different centers, with four external radially-movable dies having curved surfaces corresponding to the outer curved surface of the stationary die and in which two of said radially-movable dies have their curved surface each formed from a single center and the other two each have their curved surfaces formed by radii from different centers, and radial abutment-plates extending from the fixed die at the juncture of its two curved portions and received in grooves in the lastmentioned radially-movable dies having the two curvatures in their faces.

5. In dies for forming sheet metal, the combination of a stationary die having its outer surface made curved approximating an ellipse and having the curvature of each half formed from different centers, with four external radially-movable dies having curved surfaces corresponding to the outer curved surface of the stationary die and in which two of said radially-movable dies each have their curved surface formed from a single center and the other two each have their curved surfaces formed by radii from diiferent centers, radial abutment-plates extending from a fixed die at the juncture of its two curved portions and received in grooves in the last-mentioned radially-movable dies having the two curvatures in their faces, and upper and lower dies adapted to lie over the line or division of separation between the stationary die and the radially-movable dies and adapted to opcrate upon the blankat top and bottom while the said blank is clamped between the stationary die and the radially-movable dies.

6. In dies for forming sheet metal, the combination of a stationary die having its outer surface made curved approximating an ellipse and having the curvature of each half formed from different centers, with four external radially-movable dies having curved surfaces corresponding to the outer curved surface of the stationary die and in which two of said radially-movable dies each have their curved surface formed from a single center and the other two each have their curved surfaces formed by radii from different centers, radial abutment-plates extending from a fixed die at the juncture of its two curved portions and received in grooves in the last-mentioned radially-movable dies having the two curvatures in their faces, and a vertically-movable fianging-die arranged over the line or division of separation between the stationary die and the radially-movable dies.

'7. In dies for forming sheet metal, the combination of a stationary die having its outer surface made curved approximating an ellipse and having the curvature. of each half formed from different centers, with four external radially-movable dies having curved surfaces corresponding to the outer curved surface of the stationary die and in which two of said radially-movable dies each have their curved surface formed from a single center and the other two each have their curved surfaces formed by radii from different centers, radial abutment-plates extending from a fixed die at thejunctu re of its two curved portions and received in grooves in the last-mentioned radially-movable dies having the two curvatures in their faces, and a lower bending-die having a curved beading-groove arranged. substantially on the line of separation between the middle or stationary die and the radially-movable dies.

8. A central die for forming sheet-metal rims having two oppositely-directed semicircular edges 15 having their curvature formed from different centers and provided with abutinents projecting from the die intermediate of said curved edges.

9. A central die for forming sheet-metal rims having two oppositely-directed semicircular edges 15, and projecting steel plates 13 extending from the juncture of the said oppositely-directed curved edges 15.

10. A central die for forming sheet-metal rims having two oppositely-directed semicircular edges 15, and projecting steel plates 13 extending from the juncture of the said oppositely-directed curved edges 15, in combination with four radially-movable dies 5, two of which have semicircular clamping-faces and the other two formed with irregular faces and notched as at 14 to receive the plates 13.

11. In dies for forming asemicircular sheetmetal pulley-rim, a stationary die having a semicircular upright edge terminating at each same center as the stationary die and in which the two lateral edges of said radiallymovable dies Work close upon the face of the projecting abutment, and a vertically-movable flanging-die movable to and from the stationary die and over its outer curved edge.

In testimony of which invention I have hereunto set my hand.

EDWARD G. BUDD.

\Vi tnesses:

CHARLES A. BRINLEY, FRANK G. GRIER. 

